The Ministry of Urban and Rural Development has diverted N$225 000 that was meant to commemorate World Habitat Day in the country to be utilised towards the construction of six housing units. 
Urban and rural development deputy minister Derek Klazen announced this during the handover of 45 houses at Gobabis this week. “Since Gobabis was chosen for celebrating World Habitat Day, we at the ministry decided that the N$225 000 for World Habitat Day commemoration in Namibia be utilised to construct a further six housing units,” he said. The deputy minister explained the six houses were already completed and handed over to new owners. 

Klazen also said the ministry provided funding of N$10.7 million to construct 45 housing units and for the installation of bulk services for all 1 088 plots this year. “I understand that the water pressure and sewer which is part of the services we paid for the test was done by Namibian Housing Action Group and technicians from Gobabis municipality and the results of these tests were found to be in line with acceptable standards,” he further stated. According to Klazen, 16 houses, which were funded through the Shack Dwellers Federation of Namibia  (SDFN), as part of phase one, are under construction.

“As such, the Government of the Republic of Namibia will continue to support communities to build their houses through the Build Together and SDFN programmes to enable our communities to build houses affordably. 
That way we can have many of our citizens living in decent housing structures as opposed to the sub-standard, makeshift structures that some of them are living in today,” he said. 
– ljason@nepc.com.na